Kremlin Shocked by Suicide of Dismissed Russian Transport Minister

Roman Starovoit, the former Russian transport minister and ex-governor of the Kursk region, was found dead from a gunshot wound shortly after being dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the incident as shocking and tragic, emphasizing that an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of death, with suicide being the primary hypothesis. Starovoit's dismissal came amid allegations of corruption related to the misappropriation of funds intended for border defense in the Kursk region, where a major graft probe has detained over 20 officials. No official reason was given for his removal as transport minister, but political analysts suspect the ongoing corruption investigation played a role. Putin appointed Andrei Nikitin as the acting transport minister following Starovoit's sacking. The Kremlin has refrained from speculating on the circumstances, awaiting the investigation's findings.